We will inaugurate the construction of the biggest airport in the South Caucasus in April 2010, President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili said at the introduction of new tourism resorts in Bakuriani, the Borjomi District, the Samtskhe-Javakheti Region, on January 18.

“The Poti International Airport will be the nearest Georgian airport to Europe and it will serve plenty of visitors”, Saakasvhili said.

Saakashvili also focused on ticket prices and noted that the Poti International Airport would introduce lower tariffs compared to the Tbilisi International Airport.

“The Poti Airport will make the Tbilisi Airport, which is in monopolistic state, lower ticket prices”, Saakashvili said and added that despite multiple consultations, the Government of Georgia could not persuade TAV Urban Georgia to lower tariffs.

The Poti International Airport will be put into exploitation in spring 2012. The construction-rehabilitation of the Anaklia-Mestia resort zone will be completed by spring 2012 and “the country will have a vast tourism zone in combination with the tourism zone of Achara”, the President noted.

At this stage, the Poti airport is owned by the Poti local self-government. At the same time, the draft resolution of the Georgian President calls for handing over a 98.26 percent stake of JSC Poti Airport to LLC Ras al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA). The ultimate decision has not been made yet.